Method for separating hydrocarbons and making mercaptans



Patented pct. 16, 1945 UNITED? STATES PATENT OFFICE Mn'rnon FOR saraaa'rmo mznnocan- BONS arm MAKING macmms Darwin E. Badcrtscher, Woodbury, N. J., Harry L.- Coonradt,' Camp Lee, Ya, and Duncan J. Crowley, Penns Grove, N. J., assignors to Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application April 25, 1944, seria1 No. 532,1;1'0 5 Claims. (01. 260-609) This application is a continuation-impart of our application Serial No. 461,116, filed October 7, .1942, and has to do with a selective catalytic method for effecting the separation of certain olefins from hydrocarbon mixtures. More specifically, the present invention has to do with a vapor phase, catalytic treatment of a hydrocarbon mixture with H28 whereby only those hydrocarbons of a "sub-class of olefins, hereinafter defined as the teritary base" olefins, are converted to their corresponding mercaptansl It is well known to those familiar with the art that olefins will react with H28 inthe presence'of various catalysts to form mercaptans. For exam le, it has been suggested that olefinsof at least eight carbon atoms will react in the liquid phase in the presence of certain catalysts, at

time intervals of from 6 to 72 hours, to form sulfur-containing compounds including sulfides and mercaptans. The present invention distinguishes over the foregoing in that our catalytic treatment is carried out in the vapor phase with a very brief contact time which may vary from a fraction of a second to about several minutes. Another fundamental distinction between previously proposed processes and the novel process of the present invention is predicted upon our discovery that the catalytic process contemplated herein is selective for the conversion of certain olefins to their corresponding mercaptans. For example, the present invention is based upon the discovery that the 0-4 and C-5 tertiary base olefins, isobutylene, trimethyl ethylene and unsymmetrical methyl ethyl ethylene (of which the latter two are tertiary base amylenes) contained in a mixture of hydrocarbons are converted to .ing tertiary base olefins from-a hydrocarbon mixture as aforesaid, or they may be obtained by the their corresponding tertiary mercaptans when i nants, and to effect the removal of such contaminants, at the same time producing valuable organic chemicals from the tertiary base olefins removed. It has been shown, for example, that isobutylene in a butene mixture retards the formation of olefin-SO: poly'sulfone resins and the process of the present invention may be used to provide a butene mixture devoidof isobutylene for use in such resinfying reaction.

Tertiary base oleflns are defined-herein as those olefins characterized by the presence of the.

tertiary olefin linkage RIC=C/ whereR is a low molecular weight alkyl group, such as methyl, ethyl, etc; Typical members of this class, and preferred herein, are isobutylene (HaC)2C=CH 2, and trimethyl ethylene The resent'invention also provides a highly effective and economical method for obtaining the individual tertiary 'mercaptan from its corresponding tertiary base olefin, i. e., tertiary butyl mercaptan from isobutylene. and tertiary amyl mercaptan from trimethyl ethylene and unsymmetrical, methyl ethyl ethylene, respectively. These tertiary mcrcaptans may be obtained as an incident to the separation of the correspondvapor phase reaction ,of the pure tertiary base olefin with hydrogen sulfide under similar conditions in the same catalytic environment;

The catalysts which we have found to be effective for the purposes of this invention are the closely-related acids, tungstic acid and chromic acid, particularly preferred of which is tungstic acid (WO3.H2O) There is little, if any, diminution in the effectiveness of tunsstic acid, for example, as used herein, although fresh tungstic acid is preferred. It is also preferred that the catalytic treatment be carried out in the ab- Therefore, it is desirable to sence of moisture. dry the gases prior to contacting them with the catalyst. The dryini of the gases priorto introduption into the reactor presents no difliculties and is'a routine procedure to those familiar with the chemical andpetroleum arts.

We have discovered that the reaction of hydrogen sulfide with a tertiary base olefin to form a tertiarymercaptan by the process contemplated herein is quite sensitive to'temperature as a means for controlling the yield of mercaptan, and it is a further important object of this invention to provide a'process of the class described wherein the temperature is controlled to afford a maxi- -mum' yield of the mercaptam Further details in a preferred procedure for carrying out the process contemplated by this invention may be obtained from the'following' de ure 2 within these tubes.

scription taken with accompanying drawings, which are chosen for illustrative purposes only and in which Figure l is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of apparatus which-may. be employed in practicing the process of this invention; Figure 2 isa sectional elevation showing 'in enlarged detail a typical form of reactor which may be employed in the system shown in Figure l; and Figure 3 is a graph with a curve showing the effect of temperature variations upon .the

yield of tertiary butyl mercaptan in the process contemplated herein.

In Figure 1, reference numeral N indicates a reactor which is shown in Figure 2 as embodying a shell |2 which may be of circular or other suitable cross-sectional shape, such shell being provided near its top with a partition plate l3, having a plurality of openings l4, which receive the Suitable means for controlling the tempera-.

ture of the heat exchange medium entering the .reactor through inlet 20 are indicated by referupper ends of tubes l5 secured therein in any suitable manner, su h ,velding (not shown). The lower ends of the tubes I5 are supported in openings [6 through a bottom partition plate |1 secured near the bottom of the shell l2 in any suitable manner so as to form a chamber [8 in the shell between plates I1 and I3. For the purpose of controllirig the temperature within the tubes l5, 9. suitable heat exchange medium is circulated through the chamber |8 from an inlet to an outlet 2 I.

The top of the chamber or shell I2 is provided with a cover 22, which with the top partition plate 13 forms a chamber'23 in the top of the shell adapted to receive reaction vapors through an inlet 24, which vapors enter the various tubes from the chamber 23, as indicated by the arrows. The bottom of the shell I2 is provided with a bottom cover 25, through which the products of reaction pass from the tubes l5 into the product outlet 26.

The bottoms of the various ,tubes 15 are provided with a suitable mesh material to support a be supported in any suitable manner and, as shown in Figure 2, comprises a screen supported beneath the bottom plate l1 by a similarly perioraoed plate I1. I I

As aforesaid, the reaction contemplated herein is quitesensitive totemperature control; and although the length and size of the reaction tubes 15 and the relation between the total volume of the chamber I8 and the volume within such chamber which is occupied by the reaction tubes may be varied over relatively wide limits, it is to be understood that the relationship-between these various factors, the temperature of the heat exchange medium, and the rate at which heat exchange medium is circulated through the chamber l8 should be so adjusted as to maintain the temperature inthe reaction zones of the various catalyst tubes l5'within the range for most eflicient operation, as will be hereinafter discussed.

Referring back to Figure 1: reference numeral indicates a conduit adapted to carry hydrocarbons through a'meter M into the reactor inlet conduit 24. This conduit is shown as passing througha pre-heater or vaporizer 32 through which a hot heat exchange medium is circulated by means of connections 33 and 33'. Hydrogen sulfideis introduced into the system through the valved connection 35 and a meter M, such hydrogen sulfide being optionally introduced into the inlet 24 on either side of the vaporizer 32 by means of valveduconnection 36 or 35'.

With regard to the vaporizer or pre-heater 32,

ence numeral 40. The temperature-control means 40 may be any suitable heat exchange deviceand can be either manually or automatically operated in any manner well known to those skilled in the art. ,Also, if desired, the heat exchange medium may be recirculated from the outlet 2| through the temperature control 40 to the inlet 20 as will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Any suitable heat exchange medium,'such as water, may be employed to control the temperature in the chamber l8 of reactor Reference numeral 4| indicates acooler or condenser through which the product-outlet conduit 26 passes into conduit section 26', which opens into a sealed receiving chamber 21. The cooler or condenser 4| is provided with an inlet 42 equipped with temperature-controlling means 42 and with a heat exchange medium-outlet connection 44.- The temperature of the cooler 4| may be controlled through the control 43 so as 4 to condensesubstantially all of the mercaptan body of catalyst indicated by the stippling in Fig- I This mesh material may which can then be withdrawn together with the polymerization products of reaction from the sealed chamber 21 through a valved liquid-outlet I connection 45, or such temperature in the cooler 4| may be controlled so that only the high boiling products are condensed, substantially all of the mercaptan together with the hydrogen sulfide and hydrocarbon gases being conducted in such case from the sealed chamber 21 through a vapor-outlet conduit 41 to the bottom of a scrubber tower 48.

with a gas vent and an inlet conduit 5| for a scrubbing solution such as aqueous caustic soda. The bottom of the scrubber 48 hasan outlet 52 I which connects with the bottom of a still or stripper 54. Outlet connection 52 is equipped with a drainage valve 53. The still or stripper 54 is shown as being equipped with a high-pressure steam coil or other suitable source of heat 55 and hasan outlet 55 which connects through a condenser 51 with a separator 58 ,The separator 54 is provided with a valved mercaptan outlet 54, a gauge glass 13 to facilitate removal of the mercaptan, and a valved water outlet 60. The water outlet 60 connects through a valve 5| with a water return pipe 62, which in turn is shown as i being equipped with a caustic outlet conduit 54 which includes a liquid caustic well 64', the purpose of which is to prevent mercaptan vapor from leaving still 54 by the conduit 64. Caustic passes through conduit 64 to a caustic cooler and exits therefrom through outlet 86 to the caustic reservoir 61. The caustic reservoir is fitted with a drainage means 58. The caustic reservoir is also equipped with a conduit 69 whichconnects with the intake side of a pump 63. The discharge side of pump 53 is shown as connecting with inlet conduit 5| oiscrubber 48.

. at 1|! are provided for adding fresh caustic when The top of the scrubbing tower 48 is provided.

Means indicated contact'with the catalyst and H28. With such a hydrocarbon mixture, the efiiuent gases conable valvesior controlling the addition or "discharge oi the various media. 7

1 In practicing the process contemplated'herein with an apparatus oi the type shown in Figures 1 and 2, the tertiary base olefin, either alone or in admixture with other hydrocarbons, and the hydrogen sulfide are metered into the system through meters M and M. The proportions of these two reactants may be varied over relatively wide limits. but for optimum results it is pre- 'ferred that these proportions be such that the hydrogen sulfide be slightly in excess oi. the molar equivalent required to react with the tertiary base olefin present.

The admixture of hydrocarbon and H28 is introduced' into the reactor H in the vapor phase, as by passing the hydrocarbon through the vaporizer 32 prior to admixture with H28. Upon entering the reactor Ii, the hydrocarbon-I128 vapor mixture passes through the catalyst tubes I! where it contacts the catalyst for a short-period oi time. .It is a feature of the process contemplated herein that the period of catalyst contact is very short. With a catalyst oi! the type described hereinabove, contact times of from about a fraction of a second to about several minutes serve the purposes of this invention, but in general, a contact time of aiew seconds is preferred. It will be recognized, of course, that the longer contact times-several minutes-will be more desirable when the hydrocarbon mixture contains a relatively small amount of a tertiary base olefin; The temperature of the heat transfermedium in chamber .I8 is controlled by the temperature control 40 so that the temperature of the catalyst zone within thetubes I5 is main.

tamed within the range that will give the 40 treatment such as alkylation, polymerization, "or

sired conversion. As aforesaid, the process contemplated herein is,quite sensitive to temperature. We .have found, for example/that the process is operative between the limits of about 55 C. and about 140 0., but for optimum conversion a more closely defined range of temperature is'necessary. This will be discussed in further detail hereinafter.

When in contact with the catalyst in the catalyst tubes l5 under .the conditions described herein, the tertiary base oiefin' reacts with the hydrogen sulfide in the reaction mixture to form the corresponding tertiary mercaptan. For ex ample, when the hydrocarbon used is isobutylene, tertiary butyl mercaptan is formed and also a mall amount of higher boiling materials which, are mainly polymers, of isobutylene. Thus. the eifluent gases leaving the reactor ll through discharge conduit 26 contain tertiary butyl mercaptan, highboiling materials, traces of unreacted H28 and traces oi unreacted isobutylene. Similarly, when the hydrocarbon used is a tertiary base amylene, tertiary amyl mercaptan is formed and'the eiliuent gases will contain unreacted HzS. unreacted tertiary base amlyene and polymers of said amylene in addition to this mercaptan. When the hydrocarbon used is a hy-.- drocarbon mixture containing atertiary base olefin (or tertiary base olefins), such as for example isobutylene, secondary blefins, normal oletiary base olefin (or tertiary base oleflns) is conierials which are predominantly polymers oi isobutylene, traces of unreaeted H23 and unreacted isobutylene, and unreacted hydrocarbons, such as normal oleflns, seconda 'molefins and saturated hydrocarbons. u a

In either case, the'efiluent gases fiowthrough the discharge conduit 26 to the condenser 4|.- As aforesaid, the temperature of the condenser may be maintained such that only the high boiling products are condensed, in which case, the condensate flows into the sealed chamber 21 and from which it can then be withdrawn through the outlet connection 45. The unreacted hydrocarbons, unreacted H28 and the tertiary mercaptan, such as tertiary butyl mercaptan, are not condensed when such a temperature is maintained in the condenser 4|, and flow through the vapor-outlet conduit 41 to the bottomof the scrubbing tower 48. If desired, the temperature of the condenser 4| may-be adjusted so that the reater portion of the tertiarybutyl mercaptan is condensed along with the high boiling materials. This condownstream of scrubbing solution, such as aque- 'responding soluble alkali mercaptide and alkali sulfide or hydrosulfide. Theunreacted hydrocarbons are unaffected by the caustic soda and are removed through the gas vent 50 from which.

they may be conducted to another operation or the like. The alkali mercaptide and alkali sulfide or hydrosulfide in caustic solution pass out of the scrubber 48 through the outlet connection 1mm the solution.

solution, the alkali mercaptide is converted to the corresponding tertiary butyl or tertiary amyl mercaptan which, along with some water, distills The tertiary mercaptanwater vapors rise to the outlet line 56, flow therei through to the condenser 51 where they are converted to the corresponding mercaptan. Other hydrocarbons in the mixture are unefi'ected by densed and from which the condensate flows to the separator 58. The condensate separates herein (58) into an upper layer of mercaptan, and lower layer of water. The mercaptan layer is withdrawn through the valved outlet 59 to storage or other. process, or processes, a gauge glass 13 being provided to facilitate the mer-' captan withdrawal.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the original hydrocarbon mixture contains a mixture of the preferred tertiary base olefins,

isobutylene and trimethyl ethylene, for example, the mercaptan 'layer withdrawn through the valved outlet 59 will be a mixture of tertiary butyl and tertiary amyl m'ercaptans. These mercap tans can then be separated from each other by suitable separation means, such as by distillation (means not shown).

The lower water layer is allowed to drain from the bottom of the separator as, throughthe I water outlet 60. It is recombined, in passing through the valve GI and the water-retum pipe $2, with the caustic solution which hasbeen dis- 3 tain tertiary butyl mercaptan, higher boiling ma- I charged from the still 54. This caustic solution has passed through conduit 64, well 64', the cooler 65, conduit 66 to caustic reservoir 51. This cold caustic solution which contains some alkali sulfide, combined with water from the separator 58, is pumped by means of the pump 63 to the caustic scrubber 48 through the inlet conduit 5 I. If, however, said caustic solution from the still 54 tends to accumulate an appreciable amount of alkali sulfide, it can be removed from the system by means of the ,drain 68, and can be replaced with a desired amount of fresh caustic through the means 10. This is-necessary when an appreciable amount of unreacted His is present in the effluent gases from the reactor II and which reacts with caustic soda in the scrubber 48 to form alkali sulflde. If it is necessary to introduce additional water into the system to add to the caustic solution cooled in the cooler 65, fresh water can be introduced through the means H.

The selective action of H28 upon the tertiary base oleflns, such as ,isobutylene and isoamylenes, is influenced by a number of factors such as temperature, pressure, contact time and rate of flow of reactants, proportions of reactants, etc. As we have previously indicated, temperature is the most important and most critical of these influencing factors. The reaction of the tertiary base olefin, such as isobutylene or isoamylenes,

and hydrogen sulfide whereby the corresponding tertiary mercaptan is formed is slightly exothermic. Therefore, in order that the temperature of the reaction mixture be controlled within the desired limits, the heat of reaction should be uniformly and readily withdrawn from' the reaction zone. This may be accomplished by a proper control of the temperature and rate of flow of the heat transfer medium in the reactor. The sensitivity of this reaction to temperature in the presence of tungstic acid (WOaHaO) is illustrated by the curve in Figure 3.

yields of 20% greater are desired, the'curve indicates that temperatures within the range of about 75 C. to about 115 C. may be used.

j While the curve was obtained with the operating conditions described above, it will be understood that the slope and breadth of the curve may change with changes in one or more operating conditions. For example, various proportions of reactants maybe used instead of three liters of each gas, hydrogen sulfide and isobutylene. In general, however, it appears that the curve substantially represents the catalytic activity of tungstic acid in the conversion of the 2-4 and C-5 tertiary base oleflns to their corresponding tertiary mercaptans.

It is one feature of this invention that high pressures are not required. Onthe contrary, 'atmospheric or, at most, pressures only slightly greater than atmospheric are used. In order that the reaction be carried out in the vapor A of expensive high-pressure reaction chambers. This, of course, is a decided economic advantage.

Referring now to Figure 3, the curve is a temperature-yield curve with temperature plotted along the abscissa and yield of tertiary butyl mercaptan plotted along the'ordinate. The curve was obtained by plotting several yields of tertiary butyl mercaptan against the reaction temperatures used, the reaction temperatures being 55 C., 75: C., 96 C., 116 C. and 125 C. All other reaction conditions, similar to those de-- scribed hereinabove, were kept constant. A reaction chamber containing a single catalyst tube, inside diameter 22 mm., was used. In each rim, three liters per hour of each gas, isobutylene and hydrogen sulfide, were employed. Each run was continuous and varied in duration from 5 tov about 6.5 hours, withcontact time from about.

4.0 minutes to about 4.5 minutes, which was influenced by temperature, catalyst volume, etc. A 1

quantity of 20 grams of tungstic acid deposited on grams of granulated wood charcoal was used; this occupied about 260 cc. of the catalyst tube. Each yield of tertiary butyl mercaptan was based upon that fraction of reaction product boiling from 63 C. to 65 C. at atmospheric pressure.

The curve clearly shows that-the process contemplated herein with tungstic acid (WC-i320) asthe catalyst is operative over the temperature range of about 55 C. to about 125 'C. and the slope of the curve irom'about C. to about C. indicates that the process is operative 'to temperatures in the neighborhood of 1&0 CI Thus, itappears that the operative temperature range is from about 55 C. to about C. It is As aforesaid, the proportions of reactants for our process obviously can be varied considerably. Theoretically, the optimum molar ratio of tertiary base olefin to hydrogen sulfide would be 1:1. In some cases, however, naximum yields are obtained when a slight excess 0' H28 is used. Tertiary base oleflns are notorious for their tendency to polymerize and thispolymerization reaction tends to compete with the addition reaction with the resultant formation of high boiling poly tertiary base olefins. An excess of ms. therefore, will increase the yield of mercaptan by affording greater opportunity for the tertiary base olefin-H28 reaction. This factor of the molar ratio of the reactants naturally willbe regulated by the economics .of the particular case at hand, that is, by the relative costs of hydrocarbon and H28, and of their handling and recove wh ile it is possible, and is contemplated herein, to use the catalyst without a catalyst support, it is preferred that the catalyst be supported on an adsorbent inert carrier. Many such substances may be used for this purpose, typical of which are wood charcoal, cocoanut charcoal,

' granulated coke, certain clays which are catalytically inactive for the purposes of this invention (as opposed to active non-plastic clays), silica gel, etc. For example, we have found that wood and cocoanut charcoals exert little, if any, catalytic effect in the methods of separation and preparation contemplatedherein. Wood charcoal, under the same conditions used in obtaining the results shown by the curve in Figure 3. had no catalytic effect.

From the foregoing description and examples, it will be seen that the process contemplated herein provides: a convenient means for separating tertiary base olefins from a mixture of hydrocarbons which are .to be used in subsequent procedures where the tertiary base olefin would be an undesirable contaminant. It also provides an economical process for the synthesis of tertiary mercaptans, such as tertiary butyl mercaptan and tertiary amyl mercaptan from either a hydrocarbon mixture containing the corresponding tertiary base olefin in the pure form. If the hydrocarbon reactant contains several tertiary base olefins, the mercaptan product will be a mixture 'of the corresponding tertiary mercaptans which can be separated into its various components by fractionation. A

It is to be understood that this invention is not to be limited to the foregoing typical illustrative examples of the same, but it is to be construed broadly as defined by the language of the appended claims.

We claim:

l. The method of selectively separating a tertiary base olefin which is in the vapor phase under the hereinafter-definedconditions, from a hydrocarbon mixture containing said tertiarybase olefin and a hydrocarbon other than atertiary base olefin, which comprises: admixing said hydrocarbon mixture with hydrogen sulfide; passing the reaction mixture thus formed in the vapor phase through a reaction zone containing a catalyst selected from the group consisting of tungstic acid and chromic acid, regulating the flow of said reaction mixture. through said reaction zone to provide a very brief contact time therein and maintaining'the temperature of said reaction mixture therein between about 55 C. and about 125 0., whereby said tertiary base olefin is converted to the corresponding tertiary mercaptan; and separating said mercaptan from the reaction product so obtained.

2. The method of selectively separating a tertiary base olefin which is in the vapor phase under the hereinafter -deflnedconditions, from a hydrocarbon mixture containing said tertiary base olefin and a hydrocarbon other than a tertiary base olefin, which comprises: admixing said hydrocarbon mixture with hydrogen sulfide;

passing the reaction mixture thus formed in the vapor phase through a reaction zone containing tungstic acid, regulating the-flow of said reaction mixture through said reaction zone to provide a very brief contact time therein and maintaining the temperature of saidreaction mixture therein between about 55 C. and about 125 0., whereby said tertiary base olefin is converted to the corresponding tertiary mercaptan; and separating said mercaptan from the reaction product so obtained. l

3. The method of selectively separating a tertiary base olefin selected-from the group consisting of isobutylene, trlmethyl ethylene and unsymmetrical methyl ethyl ethylene from a hydro carbon mixture containing said tertiary base olefin and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of a normal olefin, a secondary olefin and a saturated hydrocarbon, which comprises: admixing said hydrocarbon mixture with hydrogen sulfide; passing-the reaction mixture thus formed in the vapor phase through a reaction zone containing a catalyst selected from the group consisting of tungstic acid and chromic acid, regulating the flow of said reaction mixture through saidreaction zone to provide a very brief contact time therein and maintaining the temperature of said reaction mixture therein between about 55 C. and about 125 0., whereby said tertiar base olefin is converted to the corresponding tertiary mercaptan; and separating said mercaptan from the reaction product so obtained. p

4. The method of selectively separating a tertiary base olefin selected from the group consisting of isobutylene, trimethyl ethylene and unsymmetrical methyl ethyl ethylene from a hydrocarbon mixture containing said tertiary base olefin and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of a normal olefin, a secondary olefin and a saturated, hydrocarbon, which comprises: admixing said hydrocarbon mixture with hydrogen sulfide; passing the reaction mixture thus formed in the vapor phase through a reaction zone containing tungstic acid, regulating the fiow of said reaction mixture through said reaction zone to provide a very brief contact time therein and maintaining the temperature of said reaction mixture therein between about 55 C. and about 125 (1., whereby said tertiary base olefin is converted to th o r sponding tertiary m'ercaptan; and separating said mercaptan from the reaction product so obtained.

5. The method of selectively separating a tertiary base olefin selected from the group consisting of isobutylene, trimethyl ethylene and unsymmetrical methyl ethyl ethylene from a hy drocarbon mixture containing said tertiary base olefin and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the up consisting of a normal olefin, a secondary olefin and a saturated hydrocarbon, which comprises: admixing said hydrocarbon mixture with hydrogen sulfide; passing the reaction mixture thus formed in the vapor phase through a reaction zone containing tungstic acid,

: regulating the fiow of said, reaction mixture through said reactionzone to provide a very brief contact time therein and maintaining the temperature of said reaction mixture therein betweenabout C. to about 0., whereby said tertiary base olefinv is converted. to the corresponding tertiary mercaptan; and separating said mercaptan from the reaction product so obtained.

HARRY L. (JOOINEAD'I'. DUNCAN J. CROWLEY.

nanwm E. nannn'rscrmn. 

